Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus)

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Sathasivam collection - Birds

Flora & Fauna

The Coppersmith Barbet is a resident on the IIT Madras campus, often found on Banyan trees. The bird is mostly green, with patches of yellow and crimson around its head and neck. It is around 15-17 cm long. According to Salim Ali and Dillon Ripley, they feed on “Banyan, peepul and other wild figs; various drupes and berries. Occasionally moths and flying termites captured in clumsy aerial sorties.” According to an article in The Hindu; “To add to its visibility, it utters a loud metallic, repetitive tuk-tuk-tuk, reminiscent of a sound a coppersmith makes while beating a sheet with a hammer.” The scientific name Psilopogon haemacephalus is derived from the Greek word psilos which means ‘bare’, and pogon, which means ‘beard’. The word haemacephalus is derived from the Greek word haima which means ‘blood’ and kephalos which means ‘headed’, which refers to the bird’s crimson coloured forehead. Describing the call of the bird, Ali writes, “When the spacing is correct, sounds exceedingly like the time signal pips of All-India Radio!”

Collection:

Nature Collection

Album Name:

Sathasivam collection - Birds

Photograph ID:

001/0387/0001

Album ID:

0387

Photographers:

Kumaran and Ramila Sathasivam are keen naturalists and photographers. Their photographs have appeared in a number of publications, including Blackbuck, the journal of the Madras Naturalists' Society. Kumaran Sathasivam is a 1980s' IIT Madras alumnus. His book A Forest in the City is about his natural history experiences during his student days.